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CHARLOTTE – Oct. 7, 2013 - Babson Capital Management has renewed its sponsorship of the UNC Charlotte Economic Forecast with a new three-year agreement. Babson Capital has sponsored the program since 2010.

The forecast will continue to be known as the Babson Capital/UNC Charlotte Economic Forecast, and Forecast Director John Connaughton will continue to hold the title of Babson Capital Professor of Financial Economics in the Belk College of Business.

“We’re pleased to continue our relationship with UNC Charlotte and the Belk College of Business through our sponsorship of the Economic Forecast,” said Babson Capital Chairman & CEO Thomas Finke. “The University is a vital intellectual resource for the Charlotte region and the state, and Dr. Connaughton’s reports provide valuable information for business and community leaders.” Finke is a member of the Belk College Board of Advisors.

Connaughton, who holds a Ph.D. in economics from Northeastern University, joined the UNC Charlotte faculty in 1978 and began producing the economic forecast in 1981. He has established a reputation as a top regional economist and is frequently cited by media on regional, state and national economic issues.

The Babson Capital/UNC Charlotte Economic Forecast is published quarterly and presented by Connaughton at a community luncheon and press conference. It provides both a review of North Carolina’s recent economic performance and an estimate of the state’s future growth, focusing on industrial sectors.

The Belk College and Babson Capital are seeking to expand the program by sponsoring an annual business outlook conference, which would feature Babson executives collaborating with Belk College faculty and regional industry leaders. The first business outlook conference is tentatively scheduled for January 2014.

“We are grateful to Babson Capital for their continued support of the Forecast,” said Belk College Dean Steve Ott. “This sponsorship not only allows the Belk College to continue to produce the Forecast as a public service, but to expand its impact as well. We look forward to collaborating with Babson for the next three years, and beyond.”

About Babson Capital Management LLC

Babson Capital Management LLC and its subsidiaries serve institutional investors around the globe and have $182.9 billion in assets under management as of June 30, 2013. Through proprietary research, analysis and a focus on investment fundamentals, we develop products and strategies that leverage our broad expertise in global fixed income, equities, alternatives, structured products, debt financing for corporations and debt and equity financing for commercial real estate. Based in Boston and Springfield, Mass., and Charlotte, N.C., with offices in New York City and Los Angeles, the firm’s subsidiaries include Babson Capital Europe Limited in London, Babson Capital Australia Pty Ltd in Sydney, Cornerstone Real Estate Advisers LLC in Hartford, Conn., and Wood Creek Capital Management, LLC in New Haven, Conn. Babson Capital is a member of the MassMutual Financial Group. Learn more at www.babsoncapital.com

About the Belk College of Business

Accredited by AACSB International, the Belk College of Business at UNC Charlotte offers outstanding business education programs at the undergraduate, graduate and doctoral levels, including a nationally-ranked part-time MBA program based at UNC Charlotte Center City. The Belk College is committed to building strong partnerships in the Greater Charlotte region and beyond as a vital part of our mission as North Carolina's urban research business school. Find the Belk College of Business on the web and on Facebook.

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For more information, contact Sasha Trosch, Belk College of Business, 704-687-7601, Sasha.Trosch@uncc.edu